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Trumpet 6 (Revelation 9)
17 Thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of lions. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur. 18 By these three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths, and in their tails. For their tails are like serpents, and have heads, and with them they harm.
20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn't repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn't worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk. 21 They didn't repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their sexual immorality, nor of their thefts.
We pick up the end of a study we did on horses and their implications all over Scripture from last time. I want to not pass over maybe one of the most significant stories that highlight how God relates to this symbol of horses and their association with violence and war. This story is how God confronts this symbol in a way that undermines and transforms it in so many dimensions that it deserves much closer examination so as not to miss what the Spirit wants to infuse into our own ways of thinking and relating to others and how we perceive how God makes war.
But first let's review a few more of the passages that give a more positive view of horses and then see how God chooses to relate to this symbol and how it affects our perceptions of His ways of war. It is good to keep in mind how God says His way are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.
The Better View of Horses and Horsemen
Haman said to the king, "For the man whom the king delights to honor, let royal clothing be brought which the king uses to wear, and the horse that the king rides on, and on the head of which a crown royal is set. Let the clothing and the horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man whom the king delights to honor with them, and have him ride on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, 'Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!'" (Esther 6:7-9)
Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying, Where is he who brought them up out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? where is he who put his holy Spirit in the midst of them? who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses? who divided the waters before them, to make himself an everlasting name? who led them through the depths, as a horse in the wilderness, so that they didn't stumble? As the livestock that go down into the valley, the Spirit of Yahweh caused them to rest; so did you lead your people, to make yourself a glorious name. Look down from heaven, and see from the habitation of your holiness and of your glory: where are your zeal and your mighty acts? the yearning of your heart and your compassion is restrained toward me. For you are our Father, though Abraham doesn't know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us: you, Yahweh, are our Father; our Redeemer from everlasting is your name. (Isaiah 63:11-16)
Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations: and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water. Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Even today I declare that I will restore double to you. (Zechariah 9:9-12)
My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the male goats; For Yahweh of Armies has visited his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as his majestic horse in the battle. From him will come forth the cornerstone, from him the nail, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together. They shall be as mighty men, treading down muddy streets in the battle; and they shall fight, because Yahweh is with them; and the riders on horses will be confounded.
I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them back; for I have mercy on them; and they will be as though I had not cast them off: for I am Yahweh their God, and I will hear them. Ephraim will be like a mighty man, and their heart will rejoice as through wine; yes, their children will see it, and rejoice. Their heart will be glad in Yahweh. (Zechariah 10:3-7)
I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war. (Revelation 19:11)
The armies which are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen. (Revelation 19:14)
I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army. The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword of him who sat on the horse, the sword which came forth out of his mouth. All the birds were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:19-21)
These last passages very near the end of Revelation appear to be God redeeming the very symbol of horses. Up to this point in the vision Jesus is never seen riding on a horse but is associated with the most vulnerable and weakest of the species, a Lamb, and besides that one that is slaughtered. In the life of Jesus we find Him riding an unridden young colt barely able to support His weight. This is what Jesus chose for the symbol of what better represents His own disposition and methods, for both the animal under and the rider resonants with similar identity used to describe them.
When they drew near to Jerusalem, and came to Bethsphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them, and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and immediately he will send them."
All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, "Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." The disciples went, and did just as Jesus commanded them, and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their clothes on them; and he sat on them.
A very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees, and spread them on the road. The multitudes who went before him, and who followed kept shouting, "Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"
When he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" The multitudes said, "This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee." Jesus entered into the temple of God, and drove out all of those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers' tables and the seats of those who sold the doves. He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers!"
The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children who were crying in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the son of David!" they were indignant, and said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" Jesus said to them, "Yes. Did you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing babies you have perfected praise?'" (Matthew 21:1-16)
There are some important clues to be discovered in the nuances of the three versions of this story that I do not want to miss, clues relevant for exposing significant differences between two kinds of 'riders.' Compare the disposition of Jesus with that of the religious leaders upset with everything going on.
When they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, "Go your way into the village that is opposite you. Immediately as you enter into it, you will find a young donkey tied, on which no one has sat. Untie him, and bring him. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord needs him;' and immediately he will send him back here."
They went away, and found a young donkey tied at the door outside in the open street, and they untied him. Some of those who stood there asked them, "What are you doing, untying the young donkey?" They said to them just as Jesus had said, and they let them go. They brought the young donkey to Jesus, and threw their garments on it, and Jesus sat on it. Many spread their garments on the way, and others were cutting down branches from the trees, and spreading them on the road. Those who went in front, and those who followed, cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" (Mark 11:1-10)
It happened, when he drew near to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the mountain that is called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples, saying, "Go your way into the village on the other side, in which, as you enter, you will find a colt tied, whereon no man ever yet sat. Untie it, and bring it. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' say to him: 'The Lord needs it.'"
Those who were sent went away, and found things just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, the owners of it said to them, "Why are you untying the colt?" They said, "The Lord needs it." They brought it to Jesus. They threw their cloaks on the colt, and set Jesus on them. As he went, they spread their cloaks in the way. As he was now getting near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen, saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!"
Some of the Pharisees from the multitude said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" He answered them, "I tell you that if these were silent, the stones would cry out."
When he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you, even you, had known today the things which belong to your peace! But now, they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come on you, when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, surround you, hem you in on every side, and will dash you and your children within you to the ground. They will not leave in you one stone on another, because you didn't know the time of your visitation."
He entered into the temple, and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, "It is written, 'My house is a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of robbers'!" He was teaching daily in the temple, but the chief priests and the scribes and the leading men among the people sought to destroy him. They couldn't find what they might do, for all the people hung on to every word that he said. (Luke 19:29-48)
What message was Jesus sending to everyone about the nature of His kingdom?
Why did He want to use a colt that had never been ridden before? What might that symbolize?
Don't overlook the fact that the mother was brought along with it.
What does untying the colt and mother tell us about Jesus and His kind of kingdom?
What might be symbolized by throwing people's own cloaks on the colt and underneath its path?
Compare the number of people here with the number of horses and riders in Revelation 9.
Note the strong resonance between their praise and what the angels sang at His birth.
What resonants with the question about who this was coming on a colt? (The meaning of Michael)
Why were the Pharisees indignant and demanding Jesus rebuke and silence the crowds?
This was a confrontation between opposite kinds of authority.
Does this relate to what we find in the sixth trumpet?
Why did Jesus weep when He saw the city?
What was meant by His speaking about them not knowing the time of their visitation?
Did they miss or ignore the arrangements for a wedding?
Matthew mentions the temple entered as the temple of God. What did Jesus call it soon after?
Why did Jesus begin to drive out those who bought and sold?
The intensification of resentment and bitterness on the part of the leaders turned this event into a time of sealing for their hearts, permanently hardening them against all the revelations of God's love.
Note how Jesus deals with the reason the leaders gave for demanding Jesus to silence the children.
Now let's to back to the original prophecy about why Jesus chose this animal.
I will encamp around my house against the army, that none pass through or return; and no oppressor will pass through them any more: for now I have seen with my eyes. Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations: and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water. Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Even today I declare that I will restore double to you. (Zechariah 9:8-12)
Notice the first verse in this passage. This is directly connected with the prophecy of Jesus coming into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey. Now notice a comment made by mark also corresponding to this same event when Jesus went into the temple.
They came to Jerusalem, and Jesus entered into the temple, and began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of those who sold the doves. He would not allow anyone to carry a container through the temple.
(Mark 11:15-16)
What is the conclusion of this matter from our study of horses and what they symbolize and how they inform us about the difference between the way Jesus conducts war and the way others do it? What it comes down to is this, whose methods are we going to choose to embrace? It makes all the difference in the end as well as in the present. Who will be follow as our example and as the source of what we determine should be done when conflict arises?
If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? and though in a land of peace you are secure, yet how will you do in the pride of the Jordan? (Jeremiah 12:5)
